RESUMES

GENERAL RESUME

·General Resume

PURPOSE: A document used to convince employers to interview you for an internship, full-, part-time position, or work study or summer job. It highlights your education, skills, experience, and achievements. View the complete handout here.

→Each entry will include job title, the name of the organization, the organization’s location (city, state), and dates of employment. When listing your job responsibilities and accomplishments, use action verbs.

•have a variety of experiences that do not point to your target job or internship.

•have gaps in employment or frequently changed jobs.

•want to take the focus away from your places of employment.

Combination

This resume combines the chronological and functional resume formats. It emphasizes your skill set and draws attention away from your lack of experience in the field. At the same time, it maintains the chronological format that the majority of employers still prefer.

Use if you:

•are looking to change careers.

•want to immediately emphasize your strongest credentials.

•are an experienced professional with an extensive work history.

•are considering re-entry in the job market.

• Length

Your resume should be no more than 1-page. An employer spends an average of 20 seconds reviewing your resume. Helpful hints to stay within 1 page:

♦Margins should be set between 1” and .5” on all 4 sides of the page.

♦Font size: 12-, 11- or 10-point font. Do not go smaller than 10-point, or it becomes difficult for employers to read.

♦Font style: Use an easy-to-read font. Examples include Times New Roman, Calibri, or Arial.

♦Keep it simple: Avoid using tables, lines, shading, or graphs.

·• Do's & Don'ts of Resume Writing

Do

Include your high school information through your sophomore year of college. Juniors and seniors should remove it.

Use the correct verb tense.

•If a position is current, use present tense. If it is a job or activity you completed, use past tense.

Use action verbs.

•An action verb packs a lot of information in one word. Also, do not use an action verb more than once. Use a variety to hold the reader’s interest. (See sample action verbs.)

Use a bulleted format.

•While it takes up more space, it’s easier for the employer to skim and review your information.

Take the time to create a targeted resume. Spend some time reading the position description, highlighting any keywords and phrases. Incorporate them into your resume to illustrate how your experience clearly lines up with their position.

Check for spelling and grammar errors. Spellcheck is not enough. Proofread it multiple times. A simple misspelling or grammar error can cost you an interview.

♦Contact Career Services for assistance on your resume. We offer 2 ways to assist you:

Schedule a 1-on-1 appointment to meet with a professional career counselor. No email requests, please. Call (202-319-5623) or drop by (102 McMahon Hall) the office.

• Sample Resumes

CURRICULUM VITAE

Curriculum Vitae

The C/V is a critical element of the job search.

• Objective

•It should be a complete summary of your educational and professional experience as it relates to the types of positions for which you will be applying. —Keep in mind, however, that every discipline has specific c/v format requirements.

♦To find out the appropriate format within your field of study, consult with several faculty members in your academic department.

⇒Before you begin writing your c/v , think about what you want to communicate about yourself to potential employers.

•This will assist you in not only identifying organizations and positions of interest, but also in tailoring your c/v to specific job leads.

• Guidelines For Organizing Your C/V

♦All information on your c/v should be relevant to the type(s) of positions to which you will be applying. Depending on your background and experience, several pages may be necessary depict your credentials accurately and completely.

⇒Generally speaking, c/v's are typically 2 pages, 3 pages at most.

⇒However, some disciplines may require a more detailed c/v , which may range from 4-12 pages.

•One thought to keep in mind...Quality Before Quantity!

• Categories Appropriate for the Vita

Academic Preparation

Teaching Overview

Academic Service

Teaching Interests

Thesis

Academic Training

Experience Summary

Professional Service

Academic Interests

Research Interests

Academic Background

Experience Highlights

University Involvement

Comprehensive Areas

Educational Background

Research Overview

Faculty Leadership

Professional Interests

Dissertation Title

Educational Overview

Administrative Experience

Committee Leadership

Professional Studies

Consulting Experience

Departmental Leadership

Scholarships

Professional Competencies

Degrees

Continuing Education

Leadership & Activities

Awards Course Highlights

Special Honors

Proficiencies

Academic Accomplishments

Foreign Study

Professional Experience

Distinctions

Areas of Knowledge

Professional Achievements

Study Abroad

Professional Overview

Honors and Awards

Areas of Expertise

Career Achievements

Teaching Experience

College Activities

Publications

Background

Language Competencies

Scholarly Publications

Professional Certification

Dossier

Scholarly Works

Scholarly Presentations

Internships

Certificates

Credentials

Books

Conference Presentations

Special Training References

Articles/Monographs

Workshop Presentations

Graduate Practica

Endorsements

Recommendations

Reviews

Workshops and Conventions

Exhibits/Exhibitions

Programs and Workshops

Arrangements/Scores

Conferences Attended

Conference Participation

Conference Leadership

Education

Research Experience

Service

Educational Interests

Dissertation

Professional Association

Fellowships

Educational Highlights

Principal Teachers

Related Experience

Travel Abroad

Professional Background

Prizes

Career Highlights

Languages

Teaching/Research Licensure

Placement File

Professional Papers

Conventions Addresses

Graduate Fieldwork

• Basic Sections To a C/V

Identification

♦Includes your name, address and phone number.

—Some individuals elect to include their e-mail address, office address and phone number as well.

♦If you include this, be sure to clearly identify them as such.

→Personal information, such as age, gender, race and religious affiliation should not be included on your c/v

→Not only is it inappropriate, but, in most cases it is illegal for employers to ask you about this information.

♦However, as part of the application process, you may receive a form from the INSIGHT Into Diversity to be completed, confidentially, and it will not be included in your application materials.

Education

•Includes degrees completed as well as those in progress.

⇒Be sure to include the name and location of the institution, major field of study, anticipated graduation date, and dissertation title and an abstract -- in reverse chronological order.

—You may also include academic honors, awards and scholarships in this section.

Professional Experience

>You want to list any experience (paid or unpaid) that relates to the positions to which you will are applying.

⇒For example, if you're applying for a position that is primarily research focused, you would begin by listing research experience and/or interests.

•Perhaps you would then list any publications and/or presentations.

—This may be work you've completed as a professional in the field or as a graduate assistant or fellow.

•The key question to ask yourself is...Is it relevant? The degree of relevancy will determine where it is located within your c/v

♦The most important, most relevant information should be positioned towards the beginning of the document.

⇒On the other hand, if you're applying for a position that is primarily teaching focused, you would begin by listing teaching experience.

—Again, this may be work you've completed as a professional and/or work you've completed as a graduate assistant or teaching fellow.

♦Other information to include may be memberships/affiliations, volunteer experience, special/additional training, languages, and perhaps a statement regarding your dossier.